This is one of the greener springs and a beautiful day for a trail ride back through the time portals of one of the most historically significant spots in all of America — the Santa Clarita Valley.
We’ve some interesting vistas ahead, what with world-famous cowpokes, flaming buses, movie stars, epic show business lawsuits, movie trivia and a most entertaining car salesman scam from an entire century back.
Say. Before we mosey into yesteryear, allow me to welcome a dear and cherished saddlepal who will be joining us permanently on the trail ride immortal. Let’s give up a warm and Western howdy to Signal Editor Tim Whyte’s wonderful pops, James Dallas Whyte, 1942-2026. Brings a smile to my heart having him riding up front in the first-class saddles from now on end …
WAY, WAY BACK WHEN
THE ORIGINAL ‘ORIGINAL’ SAUGUS CAFÉ — Richard and Martin Wood started the Saugus Cafe inside the Saugus Train Depot. That’d be on April 18, 1899. They had signed papers, taking over the little eatery in the northeast corner of the depot back in January but apparently served the first meal under the new title on the April 18 date. The restaurant actually was opened on Sept. 1, 1887, under the ownership of James Herbert Tolfree. Interesting name for a business in a train depot.
MY ABSOLUTE QUADRUPLE FAVORITE CAR SALESMAN STORY — Cliff Tucker used to sell cars here in the SCV during the turn of the 20th century. In 1911, he took some customers to try out a new Ford up to Beale’s Cut for a test drive. Ever the car salesman, Tucker wouldn’t let his potential marks drive ALL the way up the steep grade for fear the car would overheat and boil over. To distract his clients, he had brought along a camera (with no film) and had them keep pulling over so he could take pictures of them in their “new auto mobile.” Passing an overheated Stanley Steamer, the customers got a little edgy and accused Tucker of trying to dupe them. Tucker made a deal. If he would get the Ford up Beale’s Cut in one, non-stalling trek, they’d buy the car. Tucker made it to the top. They bought the car.
APRIL 18, 1926
THE LAST MEMORIES OF OUR WILD RODEO DAYS — It’s had many names, including the — AHEM! — former Saugus Speedway today. But in 1926, it was the Baker Ranch and the scene of one of the country’s biggest rodeos. Several thousand had to be turned away at the gate and traffic jams pretty much crippled the valley this weekend 80 years back. While the grounds were filled to capacity, several thousand more sat on the hillsides outside the arena and watched the spectacle, from a distance, free. Highlight of the event, besides all the movie stars in attendance, was Bonnie Gray, Lady Trick Rider.
ART. SOME DAY YOU’LL DIE. BUT NOT THIS DAY. — Bronc rider Art Hemple was reported by the L.A. papers as being killed by his mount at the Saugus rodeo. He wasn’t. Art was badly injured when his horse flew a few yards straight in the air and landed atop poor Hemple. But, he lived to ride another day.
AWWWW, CRAP(S)!!! — At least we were honest. Six L.A. gentlemen were whiling away the time between events at the rodeo by starting a craps game. They were arrested and charged a small fine by Judge Perkins. Perk also divvied up the money in the pot amongst them.
HART SUES HOLLYWOOD — In a complicated swindle, Bill Hart’s 100th film, the epic silent film “Tumbleweeds,” was shown at the Cody Theater in San Fernando, quite a while after it had been released. Hart would later sue United Artists for $500,000, accusing the studio of stifling the release of his epic Western (which was one of the first movies shown opening day at the American Theater in Newhall). It was a scandal-filled case. Hart spent $312,000 of his own money to produce and star in the seven-reel oater. A New York court originally ruled to pay Hart about $85,000. Years later, in 1940, an appeals court overturned the verdict, awarding Hart $278,209 — which meant Hart STILL lost money ($33,791) on the picture.
SPEAKING OF MOVIES — (But with no known giant show biz lawsuits involved) they showed the latest in silent movies at the new Newhall Elementary auditorium. On this date, Harold Lloyd’s comedy, “For Heaven’s Sake,” was showing at the school’s big room. It was one of the comic genius’ least-known films, but the 12th-highest grossing movie of the Silent Era, earning almost $6 million at the box office — a ton of money back in the 1920s. Before the film, two out-of-town thespians, Weber and Field, put on “Friendly Enemies.” It’s been reported that Niel Simon’s hit play, “The Sunshine Boys,” was based on the lives of the vaudeville duo. However, it’s also postulated that they were just part of a composite of old vaudeville acts for Simon’s production.
APRIL 18, 1936
THERE’S NO CROOKED BUSINESS LIKE CROOKED SHOW BUSINESS — OK. Remember (and boy howdy you should because it was like all of a two-paragraph ride across the Great Reading Divide) how Hart’s “Tumbleweeds” premiered at the Cody a decade earlier? It took Hart 12 years in court to finally get his profits owed him by United Artists for the classic, and the case still wouldn’t be fully settled until 1940. In the original case, a New York City judge had been bribed by the head of UA, Joseph M. Schenck. Schenck was also found liable for smearing Hart and denying him profits — to the tune of what Hart’s attorneys estimated was nearly a million bucks. Schenck also bribed a judge in the case. The judge did actual time in the pokey. So did Schenck, who would later be sentenced to three years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The UA studio head Schenck would also be indicted on a ton of racketeering and income tax evasion charges. He ended up serving just four months and five days. President Harry S. Truman pardoned the rotter. Hollywood being Hollywood, Schenck ended up being a co-founder of 20th Century Fox Studios and was rumored to have, during his advanced years, an affair with a young upcoming actress. Her name? Marilyn Monroe.
APRIL 18, 1946
AMEN. BOY HOWDY. — More than 200 of the top cowboys across America signed up for the annual Saugus Rodeo at Bonelli Stadium (today, the former Saugus Speedway). Bill Linderman of Red Lodge, Montana, was there. Ol’ Bill wore that special belt buckle declaring he was the best all-around rodeo cowboy of 1945. Interestingly, the famed 20th annual Newhall-Saugus rodeo had attracted a who’s who list of No. 1-ranked rodeo stars, including: Earl Thode, Clay Carr, Johnny Schneider, Don Nesbitt, Leonard Ward, Everett Bowman and his brother John, Burel Mulkey, Paul Carneym, the famed Fritz Truan, Homer Pettigrew, Gerald Roberts and Louis Brooks. Boy howdy, could those boys ride.
TALK ABOUT LOSING YOUR LUGGAGE — On this date, a large passenger plane was forced to land at little Newhall International Airport (near where Granary Square is today). Some 34 passengers were bused to downtown Los Angeles when the bus caught fire. Everyone got out safely. Alas, all the luggage was burned to a crisp. When a fireman on the scene was asked to estimate the damage, he sparely noted: “Looks like plenty.”
ARM THE REPORTERS!! LET THEM FIGHT!!! — Signal editor Fred Trueblood had an idea on how to deal with the impending Soviet Union dirty commie menace. He suggested a scheme involving a competitor to the north at the San Francisco Examiner: “Let William Randolph Hearst personally lead an army made up of his sons and managing editors — at a dollar a year each.”
APRIL 18, 1956
THINK YOU COULD TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO FILE THAT LAWSUIT? — On this date, A.M. Dunn and his wife Myrtle lost a $50 million suit against L.A. County. The gentleman farmer had been forced by Los Angeles to sell his pristine 1,400-acre dairy farm and ranch in Castaic. The county built Wayside Honor Rancho (today, Pitchess Detention Center) in 1937. But L.A. also sucked out millions of dollars in oil profits from drilling there. The Dunns felt they were duped. The judge actually thought so, too. But, the Dunns had waited far too long and the statute of limitations kicked in.
APRIL 18, 1966
HEY! PIPE DOWN!! — On this date, California started taking bids from guys with really long drills. The Golden State was in the planning stages of constructing an epic engineering project, a water pipeline from northern to southern Cal. Estimated cost to build the tunnel into which to set the big pipe? About $82 million.
THAT BEATS THE LAST FEW YEARS 8,200-0! — I don’t know if they still keep records like this, but they said it was a record back in 1966. On Easter Sunday, William S. Hart Park director Lloyd Hiatt said the grounds set a record for attendance, with about 7,000 people showing up and 2,867 registering to take the tour of the mansion. Even more showed up because not everyone put their name in the register. In April 1966, about 8,200 folks visited the museum.
AND, OF COURSE, IT WOULD GO OVER BUDGET — On this date, the county supes approved the plans to build a $2.8 million, 10-acre regional county center.
CONTRITE APOLOGIES, AHEM, UP FRONT — The Signal has been doing some sort of version of Man on the Street for decades. Back in the 1960s, it was called, “Question Man.” On this date, Signal reporter Peter Stack asked locals the poignant query: “Should topless waitressing be outlawed?” The results were split down the middle . . . (:- )
APRIL 18, 1976
MAKE A MOVIE, PLANT AN AIR FERN? — On this date, the local Chamber of Commerce agreed to petition the Board of Supervisors to charge an extra $250 fee for any entertainment companies using the valley for location shoots. The money would go toward beautifying the community. There’s a Not Sure It Worked joke lying in wait in the shrubbery …
UNMARKED HAZARD — Lilly Hays had an unscheduled breakfast at the Sheriff’s HQ. While her mom had dozed off with her during their nap, Lilly wandered off for a little walk around the Vista Valencia Golf Course in her PJs. Her frenzied parents finally caught up with her shortly thereafter. Lily was 3.
TOMMY’S NOTE — It’s funny. The little rascals are out there still, but we rarely see them. On this date, the Treasury reissued the $2 bill. Some 255 million of them were released and folks were lined up at all the banks to get their share.
ADIOS TO ANOTHER GRAND OLD COWBOY — He was a familiar figure with his jaunty hat and pipe. Born in Yankton, South Dakota, in 1900, the retired stuntman had made countless films. He was also a renowned rodeo star and lived in Newhall for 50 years. Fox O’Callahan died on this date.
APRIL 18, 1986
SING IT WITH ME: WHEN THE SWALLOWS, FLY BAAAAAACK, TO WEST VALENCIA — Staff and students at College of the Canyons were using their umbrellas 20 years back, but it wasn’t for rain. Those rascally swallows — the ones who were supposed to fly home to Capistrano — seemed especially attracted to the campus and would set up nests by the hundreds. One of the bothersome byproducts of birdies is, well, birdie byproduct. The campus hosed down the nests, much to the chagrin of many students. The Board of Trustees stepped in, ordering janitorial to not hose the swallows. And, of course, being bureaucrats, formed a blue-ribbon committee to study the issue.
CLINT IN 2028!!!!! — On this date, The Signal endorsed the newly elected mayor of Carmel, Clint Eastwood, for president. We didn’t stop there. Signal editor Scott Newhall continued the show business theme, filling his dream list of government positions. Grizzly Adams was suggested as Secretary of the Interior. Mr. T was nominated as “Federal Tax Collector.” And for Office of Alcohol Control? None other than Foster Brooks, the comic who was famous for portraying a drunk.
• • •
Well that surely was an eclectic trek into yesteryear. Trust you saddlepals will have a fine weekend. Rest those heinies up good for another trip into our rich Santa Clarita Valley history and I’ll see you in seven days back here at The Mighty Signal hitching post with another exciting Time Ranger adventure. Until then? Vayan con Dios, amigos!
Local historian and the world’s most prolific satirist/humorist John Boston has launched his new eclectic bookstore — johnboston-books.com. His hilarious adventure/family/supernatural sequel to the national bestseller, “Naked Came the Sasquatch” — “Naked Came the Novelist” — is on sale now. Ditto with his two-volume “Monsters” series about the supernatural in the SCV.
